How many cylinders does the Buick Excelle engine have?
4 Answers
Buick Excelle uses a three-cylinder engine. Below is the relevant introduction to the Buick Excelle engine: In the new generation models, Buick Excelle no longer uses the previous generation's 1.4T or 1.5L four-cylinder engines, but instead adopts the currently more popular small-displacement 1.0T and 1.3T three-cylinder engines. Thanks to the Ecotec dual-injection turbocharging technology, this 1.0T three-cylinder engine can continuously deliver maximum torque from 1500 rpm to 5200 rpm. In comparison, the previous generation 1.5L four-cylinder engine could only output maximum torque at 4400 rpm.
Speaking of the Buick Excelle, I've driven both the older and newer models. The pre-2015 Excelles mostly came with four-cylinder engines like the 1.6L and 1.8L naturally aspirated versions, which felt stable but had relatively high fuel consumption. During the 2018 model change, there was a major shift to 1.0T and 1.3T three-cylinder turbocharged engines. When I test drove them at the time, I found the vibration control was decent, though the steering wheel would shake a bit during cold starts. However, by 2020 they reverted back, and now the main models on sale are equipped with the 1.5L four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, as many people still trust the durability of traditional four-cylinder engines. If you're buying a used Excelle, pay close attention to the nameplate - maintenance costs can differ by 30% between three-cylinder and four-cylinder models.
My neighbor bought the Excelle with the 1.3T three-cylinder version last year and complains about the fuel consumption every day. Honestly, the current new Excelle comes with two powertrain options: the 1.5L four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine is the mainstay, delivering 113 horsepower; the three-cylinder 1.3T produces 163 horsepower but has been discontinued. The three-cylinder engine is indeed fuel-efficient, consuming less than 5 liters per 100 km on highways, but used car dealers slash the price by 20,000 yuan when buying it, saying the engine mounts must be replaced after 60,000 kilometers. If you ask me, I'd still recommend the four-cylinder version—it's cheaper to maintain, not picky about oil, and runs fine on 92-octane gasoline.
Having repaired Buick cars for seven years, I know the engines of the Excelle inside out. Models before 2015 were all equipped with four-cylinder engines, while the 2018-2020 models mainly featured three-cylinder turbocharged engines. Now, post-2021 models have returned to four-cylinder engines. A common issue with the three-cylinder engines is the timing belt soaked in engine oil design, which must be replaced at 60,000 kilometers; otherwise, it may cause valve damage. Although the four-cylinder engines are older in technology, they are more stable, and replacing a spark plug costs only around a hundred yuan. If you ask me, when buying a used Excelle, you should check the engine compartment label: L2B indicates a four-cylinder engine, while LI6 is a three-cylinder engine—don’t be fooled by car dealers.
